The Grass is Always Greener
by Somebody's Dark Angel
Summary: Nikki took to motherhood easier than Kate did; it was if she instinctively knew exactly what to do. While Kate slowly figured out how to deal with the little person who depended on her for everything, Nikki flourished. Net and MK, future-fic.


**The Grass is Always Greener**

The two women stand on the same pier, one dark, one fair, both waiting for a ship to dock. Once crewmates, they now spend their days entertaining toddlers rather than boarding boats. They measure progress in baby steps rather than nautical miles.

_She makes it look so easy,_ Kate thinks, watching as her friend keeps tabs on the three kids running around, whilst also placating the pair in the double stroller. Nikki effortlessly manages _five_ kids, all under eight, while Kate struggles to deal with two.

While she's glad her children are using up some of their seemingly endless energy, Nikki can't help but watch wistfully as Kate's kids stand quietly beside her. They play, as all children do, but Nikki knows from experience that they don't destroy the house the way her kids do.

A yell sounds across the pier and all heads instantly turn towards it. The two Holiday boys are fighting, however a single stern word from Nikki has them letting go of one another and moving back towards the stroller. Kate shakes her head, _how does she do that?_ Her own children barely listen to her when they're being good, let alone in disobedience mode.

Speaking of… her son tugs his hand out of her grasp and runs towards Nikki's eldest. Kate watches the two dark heads bend together, marvelling at how two completely unrelated children can look so alike. They're often mistaken for twins – something the two of them are now learning to use to their advantage.

They are mere months apart. It was a never-ending source of amusement for the _Hammersley_ crew when they fell pregnant together. Both newly married and happily in love – the pregnancies weren't exactly planned. Nikki took to motherhood easier than Kate did; it was if she instinctively knew exactly what to do.

While Kate slowly figured out how to deal with the little person who depended on her for everything, Nikki flourished. By the time Kate felt ready to try for another child, Nikki had had two more.

If one synchronised pregnancy is coincidence, what's two? The day Kate announced her second pregnancy, Buffer commented on that exact same thing, "Wouldn't it be funny if you and Nav were pregnant at the same time." Two days later, Nikki showed Kate the positive pregnancy test and they both laughed.

"Mummy, Allie pinched me!" Her son's voice breaks Kate out of her reminiscing and she looks down at him, laying a hand on his head. He has her green eyes, his father's dark hair and Mike's penchant for disobeying rules.

"Well, what did you do to him?" Kate replies, glancing at Nikki.

Her youngest is now out of the stroller and in her arms; she allows her 8-month-old daughter to play with her hair as she speaks to her eldest one. Kate grins when she watches Nikki and her daughters – if she didn't know better, she'd think Nikki had cloned herself. It seems the only genes Josh passed on were those for curls and bright blue eyes.

Alexis points over to Kate and her son, and Nikki's gaze rises to meet Kate's. They both smile; it's been this way ever since Alexis and Oliver were infants. They're best friends half the time and sworn enemies the rest.

"I didn't do nothing!" Oliver tries to sound outraged, though he won't meet his mother's eyes, so she knows he's lying.

"Okay, well why don't the two of you stop 'doing nothing' and play nice," Nikki pats Alexis on the back and gently propels her towards Kate and Oliver.

Kate's children are dressed immaculately and there isn't a smudged cheek or scraped knee in sight. Isabella, Nikki's two-year-old, insisted on dressing herself this morning, so she's wearing half a Spiderman outfit and mismatched socks. And Zach, her middle child, has a cut on his knee that wasn't there when they left home this afternoon.

Nikki watches her friend talk to the two seven-year-olds, and sighs wishfully. Kate is still as slim and gorgeous as she was nine years ago, when the two of them served on the same ship. After Nikki's first pregnancy there were an extra few kilos she just could not shift; that has grown to eight within an additional four children. Josh always says he prefers his wife's new curves, but she can't help but want her old body back.

"It's here!" A chorus of cheers and calls turns their attention back towards the sea. The ship is pulling in.

After nine years, Josh and Mike have gone through a number of promotions and postings, both sea and shore. A year ago they'd both been posted to the frigate HMAS Arunta, so the two families could once again plan outings together.

A millisecond after seeing the ship, Nikki lunges away from the stroller. She manages to catch the shirts of her two boys, who have started to run down the pier towards the ship. Kate hadn't even realised they were moving. And, she suddenly realises, Nikki is still holding the baby. How exactly did she catch both boys with one hand?

"Wait until you see Daddy, guys," Nikki reprimands gently, tugging them back to the stroller. Though they fidget, they each take hold of the stroller and wait. Looking down, Nikki notices her eldest son, Lachlan, has a hole in his shorts – his school shorts. She shakes her head, knowing it's her own fault for not bringing a change of clothes. Kate obviously remembered the afternoon outing; Oliver is in play clothes.

A crowd of people floods past them; a few sailors nod to Nikki and Kate, either having served with the women or recognising their pictures from those their husbands carry. It's Kate who spots them first; her excellent eyesight has not dimmed at all over the years. The crowd has thinned out significantly, so they let the youngsters out of their respective strollers.

Oliver walks slowly with his baby sister, but the Holiday children have no patience and leave Isabella to her own devices. They're too fast for her little legs and she's soon sprawled on the floor. However she doesn't waste time crying, merely picks herself back up and continues running towards her father. By the time she gets there Josh has a child clinging to each leg and another clutching his hand, but he swings her onto his shoulders. Mike does the same with his two-year-old; the girls look at one another and giggle.

The children attached to his legs cause Josh to walk slowly, so Mike reaches the girls first. He hugs Nikki then kisses Kate on the cheek and grabs her hand; nothing too affectionate, not in public. Kate wishes he was a little less aware of their surroundings.

As opposed to Josh. Before he arrives at the group he sets Isabella down, leaving both arms free to catch Nikki up in a embrace and kiss her soundly. Though she smiles against his lips, she quickly pushes him away, her face colouring when she sees the curious gazes of the people surrounding them. She wishes her husband wouldn't be so embarrassing.

Isabella on his hip, Josh slings an arm around Nikki's shoulders as the two families walk off the pier. The four older kids skip ahead, the Holidays shrieking and laughing while Oliver merely grins, running hand-in-hand with Alexis.

The fight begins as they approach the cars; who will be riding with whom. Kate and Nikki share a glance; Kate's raised eyebrow asking a question, which Nikki's nod answers.

"Daniela, honey, you want to ride with Auntie Nikki and Uncle Josh?" Nikki asks as she blindly searches through her bag for her keys. The toddler grins and nods, grabbing a fistful of her father's hair.

"Al, Ol, you're with us. We're going to Nikki's for coffee." Kate is already working on moving her daughter's carseat into Nikki's four wheel drive. Between the two of them they have the seat installed inside a minute, to the amazement of their husbands. Kate narrowly avoids getting run over by two hyperactive seven-year-olds as she heads back to her own car, and she smiles. Only Alexis has that effect on her son, similar to the effect Nikki has on Kate. They both have their strengths and their weaknesses, but they know they're strongest together.

_fin._


End file.
